Another landslip leaves homes dangerously close to toppling into the sea

Homes at a holiday park are perilously close to collapsing off the edge of a cliff (Picture: HM Coastguard Lowestoft / SWNS)

A huge landslide has left several coastal homes teetering on the edge of a cliff at risk of complete collapse.

High tides and strong winds battered the East Suffolk coast and caused a 500-ft stretch of shoreline to crumble into the sea on Friday night.

Tourists were forced to evacuate after caravans at Pakefield Holiday Park in Lowestoft were left dangerously close to giving way.

Fierce conditions completely destroyed 100ft of a seafront road, which smashed to pieces on the beach down below.

Pictures show a tiny patch of grass separating the homes from the sheer drop, while a fence has also succumbed.

Some of the mobile homes have been dragged away from the edge but many remain on the brink.

It happened just hours after a road collapsed 20 miles further along the coast in the erosion-hit village of Hemsby, Norfolk, where several homes have been lost.

The homes are separated from the edge of the cliff by just a matter of inches (Picture: HM Coastguard Lowestoft / SWNS)

Coastguard teams in Lowestoft warned people not to walk next to the ‘very unstable and sandy cliffs’.

A spokesman said: ‘Please enjoy our beaches safely and stay away from the base of any cliffs.

‘They can be extremely dangerous. Please also avoid using any cordoned off areas.

‘The local councils are doing all they can. There is going to be a lot of debris on the beaches and along the shoreline.’

Bomb disposal teams also carried out a controlled explosion on a suspected munition exposed in the storm.

A World War II minesweeping marker was uncovered during the landslip at Pakefield, Lowestoft (Picture: HM Coastguard Lowestoft / SWNS)

Bomb disposal teams carried out a controlled explosion for safety (Picture: HM Coastguard Lowestoft / SWNS)

It was later identified as a World War II minesweeping marker.

HM Coastguard Lowestoft and Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service were called to the cliff face at 9.40pm on Friday after reports that the cliff had collapsed.

After getting residents out and moving the homes closest to the edge, the authorities also cordoned off steps down to the beach, near Arbor Lane.

The teams went on to enforce a 100m cordon when a large metal object, thought to be a bomb but later identified as a minesweeper maker, was made safe.

A storm battered the coast in Lowestoft and caused a huge chunk of land to give way (Picture: HM Coastguard Lowestoft / SWNS)

A spokesperson from HM Coastguard Lowestoft added: ‘Unfortunately, the cliff fall or extremely high tide did offer us another surprise.

‘A large metal object resembling a World War Two bomb was unearthed.

‘The Lowestoft, Gorleston and Aldeburgh teams, along with Suffolk Police and East Suffolk Council were involved in placing and maintaining cordons, until EOD arrived.

‘An initial cordon of 100 metres was put in place with a view to evacuating a substantial amount of holidaymakers at the old Pontins site, now called Pakefield Holiday Village.

‘Fortunately the device was made safe when EOD identified the object as an old minesweeping marker. A controlled explosion was carried out for safety.’

A spokesman for East Suffolk Council told local residents to keep clear of the cliff face for their own safety.

They said: ‘Please stay away from the cliffs for your safety.

‘The relevant authorities are addressing the impacts, and affected areas have been cordoned off as the extent of any damage is assessed.

‘Known damage which affects ordinary access includes the steps down to the beach at Arbor Lane.

‘Therefore, people are asked to avoid the area and stay away from locations which may still be vulnerable.

‘There may be debris and the possibility of further collapse and public safety is a priority.’

Earlier this month, dozens of people were evacuated after a terrifying landslide ripped into homes ‘like paper’.

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